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Pipeline Pigging
Pipeline Pigging
A pig is a device inserted into a pipeline which travels freely through it, driven by the product flow to do a specific task within the pipeline. These tasks fall into a number of different areas: (a) Utility pigs which perform a function such as cleaning, separating products in-line or dewatering the line; (b) Inline inspection pigs which are used to provide information on the condition of the pipeline and the extent and location of any problem (such as corrosion for example) and (c) special duty pigs such as plugs for isolating pipelines.
to return to the sensor is a measurement of the thickness of the pipe wall. The technique needs a liquid through which the pulse can travel. The presence of any gas will affect the output.
Q. What are the differences between offshore and onshore pipelines and their intelligent pigging procedures?
Offshore pipelines are of thicker wall than onshore-sometimes up to 35mm thick. Offshore pipelines can have greater operating pressures, particularly the deepwater pipelines offshore Angola, Brazil or Gulf of Mexico. Maximum operating pressures onshore can be 100barg but offshore can be 300barg. Flowrates of products both onshore and offshore are the same dependant upon the type of pipeline or its position with regard to transporting product either between offshore platforms or from platform to shore. Offshore pipelines tend to be protected by a concrete outer coating and sacrificial anodes fitted to the pipeline every 100 metres so the outside of offshore pipelines tend not to suffer corrosion but may get damaged by sea bed movement or anchors from ships. Inspection of offshore pipelines tends to look for internal problems. The most favoured inspection methods are either ultrasonic or magnetic flux inspection. Ultrasonic can inspect very thick wall pipe but magnetic flux is limited because of how strong the magnets need to be to get enough magnetism in the wall of the pipe to enable good results to be obtained. Sometimes some pipelines can only be inspected using ultrasonic techniques because of the wall thickness. Generally running pigs in offshore pipelines is very similar to running in onshore lines, after the wall thickness and higher pressures are taken in to consideration. One very important thing to realise with offshore inspection is that the pig must not get stuck in the pipeline as retrieving it will be much more expensive than from an onshore pipeline.
Q. What is a Plug?
A plug is a specialist pig that can be used to isolate a section of pipeline at pressure while some remedial work is undertaken. For example, a valve can be changed out while the pipeline remains at pressure. This can be done by setting two plugs either side of the valve. Work can then proceed on removing the existing valve and installing the new one. In complex systems, this can allow production to continue while maintenance work proceeds at a platform for example. The plugs can withstand pressures up to 200 bars typically. The plug works by gripping into the line pipe and then having a separate sealing system. Lower pressure techniques include High Friction pigs, which provide a barrier for depressurised systems.
or debris / corrosion products in the line. On the other hand, production oil lines can suffer from wax deposition, which must be managed in order to allow production to continue. It is difficult to give general guidance on this, as the pigging frequency must be set for each specific pipeline. The general advice would be that a pig is a valuable flow assurance tool and a decision should be reached with the operator on the frequency of pigging based on the flow assurance analysis of the line and in conjunction with the pigging specialists. Likewise, inspection intervals should be based on discussions between integrity management and the pig vendors.